A joint initiative of Centre for Science and Environment, India and Chittagong City Corporation, Bangladesh

September 24, 2012

Chittagong City Corporation, Bangladesh

CSE in collaboration with Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), Chittagong, Bangladesh organised a briefing workshop on “New Paradigms of Urban Wastewater Treatment – Challenges and Options” at Chittagong, Bangladesh on September 24, 2012. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the concept of Urban Wastewater Management and Rethinking for Sustainable Solutions in Chittagong city that has no sewerage connection. It was very well received by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Secretary, and other officials of CCC who are very eager to implement some low cost decentralised systems for wastewater treatment in the city under sanitation projects.

The workshop was attended by forty-five participants including engineers and architects from CCC and PHE, local and international NGOs such as UNDP and WAB. The focus of the program was¬¬¬¬ to stimulate Bangladesh - India exchanges amongst key players on sustainable decentralised water /wastewater management in urban environment. Also in order to build a strong learning and knowledge sharing network and develop partnerships between key actors in the field of urban wastewater management. After the presentation on decentralised treatment system by Dr. Deblina Dwivedi, Public Health engineers also showed much interest in building decentralised systems in rural parts of Chittagong as wastewater gets only partially treated in septic tanks before making their way to larger water bodies and the sea. As there is a heavy reliance on groundwater there is a growing worry of untreated water finding its way back to the people through tube-wells.

Speaking at the workshop, the CEO of CCC, Mrs. Anowara Begum talked about the need for newer technologies required to treat wastewater, deal with the present issues of shortage and pollution of water in Chittagong city. She stated the immediate need to treat household and industrial waste in order to avoid health hazards, provide the city with clean and safe water. Urging CSE to come forward, she stressed on providing specific and general inputs so that strong planning is done for proper implementation of such systems.